Os fãs do Sesc em São Paulo: um estudo sobre hospitalidade e acolhimento Fans del Sesc en São Paulo: un estudio sobre la hospitalidad y la acogida

(1)

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7784/rbtur.v12i2.1403

Fans of Sesc in São Paulo: a study on hospitality and welcome

Os fãs do Sesc em São Paulo: um estudo sobre hospitalidade e

acolhimento

Fans del Sesc en São Paulo: un estudio sobre la hospitalidad y la

acogida

Luiz Octávio de Lima Camargo1 Airton José Cavenaghi2 Danilo Cava Pereira3 Elizabeth Kyoko Wada4

Abstract: The study presents the results of an empirical research in the area of hospitality and reception that

intended to outline a profile of the participants of social networks’ groups of fans of Sesc in São Paulo, cultural and leisure center with 41 units in the state of São Paulo. The hypothesis is that this virtual group represents the institution's priority public: the trade, service and tourism worker, whom Prahalad calls the the pyramid bottom. For the theoretical basis, some of the concepts were sought in authors of hospitality, economics and culture. A questionnaire was then prepared with 17 questions - 14 of which were multiple-choice and with more than one

1_{Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM), São Paulo, SP. Full professor in the Graduate Program in Hospitality} at the Anhembi Morumbi University (UAM) and invited professor in the Master Program in Tour-ism at the USP-EACH. São Paulo, SP. Advisory in the definition of the concepts of hospitality and welcoming and in defin-ing the implications of these concepts for an institution such as Sesc, where the author have already worked. 2_{Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM), São Paulo, SP. Revision of the text, theoretical interpretations related}

to the dimensions of Hospitality and assistance with the literature.

3 _{Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM), São Paulo, SP. Definition of the problem and objectives of the} re-search, conduction of the field research and analysis of the results.

4 _{Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM), São Paulo, SP. She coordinates the PPG in Hospitality at Anhembi} Morumbi University (Laureate Interna-tional Universities) and is a researcher at the Institute of Research and Social and Techno-logical Development (ISAM). Theoretical framework for the concepts of hospitality in the commercial domain, services, gender and bottom of the pyramid. The discussions were developed in the re-search group Hospitality and Competitiveness in Services and in the class sessions in the course Management and Strategic Planning in Hospitality, during which the research and the article were proposed to the authors.

Paper submitted in: 09/01/2018. Paper accepted in: 22/02/2018.

(2)

Camargo, L. O. L. ; Cavenaghi, A. J. ; Pereira, D. C. ; Wada, E.K. Fans of Sesc in São Paulo: a study on hospitality and welcome

selection and 3 were open - divided into three sections: the first one, that selected those who participated in any of the selected Facebook groups; the second, to outline a brief socioeconomic profile; and the third, which sought to better understand attendance and participation in the activities of the Sesc in the state of São Paulo. The research was available from November 26 to December 4, 2017, with 224 valid answers. From a statistical and exploratory character for subsequent descriptive analysis, the questionnaire was applied in three groups of fans selected by number of participants. At the end of the analysis, it was possible to present a brief overview of the profile of the fan of Sesc, participant of groups of Facebook, and that perceive the relations of hospitality with the employees of the institution.

Keywords: Hospitality. Welcoming. Cultural Center. Fan. Pyramid bottom.

Resumo: O estudo apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa empírica na área de hospitalidade e acolhimento que pretendeu traçar um perfil dos participantes de grupos nas redes sociais de fãs do Sesc em São Paulo, centro cultural e de lazer com 41 unidades no estado de São Paulo. A hipótese é a de que este público virtual representa o público prioritário da instituição: o trabalhador do comércio, serviços e turismo, que Prahalad denomina de a base da pirâmide. Para a fundamentação teórica, buscou-se, portanto, em autores de hospitalidade, acolhi-mento, economia e cultura alguns dos conceitos. Foi elaborado então um questionário com 17 questões – sendo 14 fechadas de múltipla escolha e de mais de uma seleção e 3 abertas -, dividido em três seções: a primeira, que limava quem não participava de nenhum dos grupos do Facebook selecionados; a segunda, para traçar um breve perfil socioeconômico; e a terceira, que procurou entender melhor a assiduidade e participação na programação das unidades do Sesc no estado de São Paulo. A pesquisa ficou disponível de 26 de novembro a 4 de dezembro de 2017, totalizando 224 respostas válidas. De caráter estatístico e exploratório para posterior análise descritiva, o questionário foi aplicado em três grupos de fãs selecionados por número de participantes. Ao final das análises, pôde-se apresentar um breve panorama do perfil do aficionado pelo Sesc, participante de grupos do Facebook, e que percebem as relações de hospitalidade e acolhimento dos funcionários da instituição.

Palavras-chave: Hospitalidade. Acolhimento. Centro Cultural. Fã. Base da pirâmide

Resumen: El estudio presenta los resultados de una investigación empírica en el área de hospitalidad y acogida que pretendió trazar un perfil de los participantes de grupos en las redes sociales de fans del Sesc en São Paulo, centro cultural y de ocio con 41 unidades en el estado de São Paulo. La hipótesis es que este público virtual representa al público prioritario de la institución: el trabajador del comercio, servicios y turismo, que Prahalad denomina la base de la pirámide. Para la fundamentación teórica, se buscó, por lo tanto, en autores de hospita-lidad, acogida, economía y cultura algunos de los conceptos. Se elaboró entonces un cuestionario con 17 pre-guntas - siendo 14 cerradas de múltiple elección y de más de una selección y 3 abiertas -, dividido en tres secci-ones: la primera, que limaba quien no participaba de ninguno de los grupos de Facebook seleccionados; la se-gunda, para trazar un breve perfil socioeconómico; y la tercera, que intentó comprender mejor la asiduidad y participación en la programación de las unidades del Sesc en el estado de São Paulo. La encuesta estuvo dispo-nible desde el 26 de noviembre al 4 de diciembre de 2017, con 224 respuestas válidas. De carácter estadístico y exploratorio para posterior análisis descriptivo, el cuestionario fue aplicado en tres grupos de fans seleccionados por número de participantes. Al final de los análisis, se pudo presentar un breve panorama del perfil del aficio-nado por el Sesc, participante de grupos de Facebook, y que perciben las relaciones de hospitalidad y acogida de los funcionarios de la institución.

Palabras-clave: Hospitalidad. Acogida. Centro Cultural. Fan. Base de la pirámide.

1 INTRODUCTION

The present study shows the results of an empirical research in the field of hospi-tality that, in an exploratory way, sought to

(3)

tality and welcome, the bottom of the pyra-mid (Prahalad, 2017), and cultural centers.

Thus, the objective is to present an overview of the profile of Sesc fans, in groups in the social network Facebook, attending the institution and that perceive hospitality and welcome of its employees, here repre-senting the host.

This positive relationship is important for any commercial establishment to create a connection with consumers, thus enabling a more genuine exchange relationship, even if it is a financial transaction (Binet-Montan-don, 2011; Gotman, 2009; Telfer, 2004). For this reason, research on the impact of hospi-tality on the experience and consumption of culture, and on the entertainment of this cul-tural center visitor is justified.

The objective of this survey was to de-scribe the socioeconomic profile and the ex-perience of Sesc centers-goers who are members of "Aficionados pelo SESC-SP [SESC-SP Fans]", "SESC" and "SESC - Troca de ingressos [Exchange of Tickets]" fan groups.

Therefore, considering these fans members of groups on social media, the hy-pothesis to be tested is that this online uni-verse represents the physical uniuni-verse of the target audience of Sesc in São Paulo: workers in commerce, services, and tourism, mostly of low- and-middle income, represented

here by the bottom of the pyramid of CK Pra-halad.

In the following pages, we present a literature review for hospitality, welcome, cultural center, fans, and bottom of the pyr-amid which is the conceptual foundation of this research. At the end, we verify if the ob-jective of the study was met and present fu-ture avenues of research, mainly because this study is exploratory and a descriptive statistical analysis.

2 HOSPITALITY AND WELCOME IN CUL-TURAL CENTERS

(4)

Figure 1 – The scene of hospitality of Sesc in São Paulo

Source: Search data

This study focuses on hospitality in commercial settings, encompassing both the commercial and social domains, defined by Lashley (2004) and Camargo (2004), since in Sesc cultural centers these domains overlap. Thus, the concept of hospitality is based both on authors who study gift exchange in set-tings where there is a financial return, as the English and the Americans, and on authors whose approach is in terms of society, cul-ture, and tradition, as the French. Therefore, we draw mainly on Pitt-Rivers (2012), who examined the laws of hospitality; on Boudou (2012), who studied the rites and types of guest and host; and on Telfer (2004) to ad-dress the characteristics of being hospitable (hospitableness).

In order to understand the concepts of reception in the context of a private soci-ocultural institution, the authors in the theo-retical foundation are: Binet-Montandon (2011), who examines the social ties through reception, and Grassi (2011), who presents

the passage from the outside to the inside and the ritual of reception and, also, Boudou (2012) who addresses the rites of hospitality. "Hospitality is a way of living to-gether, governed by rules, rites, and laws" (Montandon, 2011, p.31). Among the various etymologies of the word hospitality, Benven-iste (1995) finds a link with Mauss's studies in his book “The Gift”, in which he focuses on the relationships that are created between different peoples, sometimes strangers, in an encounter that happens in the physical (geo-graphic) space of one or the other. Both Mauss (2003) and Benveniste refer to the rit-ual of potlatch - the act of giving what one has to others in the community as a form of retribution, in the first place, for having won all that. Then, studying words from different languages and ethnicities, such as guest, host, possess, hostile stranger, and enemy, appear to signify this encounter between strangers or not.

(5)

remark in Odyssey about the behavior of the host and the guest in this ritual, the scene of hospitality. Among the micro scenes that fol-low formulas and rules, four of them unfold here: the arrival, the reception, the gift ex-change, and the farewell; since the other mo-ments focus more on hospitality in the do-mestic domain or when lodging is involved.

The first stage of this encounter, in a commercial and social context such as a cul-tural center, may be the arrival: "everything starts on that threshold, on that door that is knocked on and opens to an unknown, strange face" (Montandon, 2011, p. 32). This stage is linked to that of Boudou (2017), the separation, giving rise to rapprochement. Upon arrival, the guest is halfway between a hostile stranger and that of a member of the community (Binet-Montandon, 2011).

The reception offers the service, the welcome after crossing the threshold, which Boudou also calls the "margin", better ex-pressed by waiting time than by space. In the case of the commercial establishment, the reception is when the visitor feels welcome and well received in that space.

Once hospitality begins to develop, the gift can take place in a gesture, some-thing that differentiates the welcome from any other. It is at this moment that the gift becomes visible: the host gives the guest a gift, who feels obliged to reciprocate, either with a gesture or with another token. How-ever, in gift-giving time lags between giving and reciprocating are fundamental, for hos-pitality "presupposes a one-way relation between host and guest" (Boudou, 2017, p. 113).

It is time for farewell. Montandon re-calls the three-day rule that many cultures

take as a proverb, since this length of time defines "the framework and boundaries: a time to welcome, a time to stay, a time to leave" (2011, p.34). In keeping with the au-thor’s perspective, the aim of hospitality is not to integrate, it is something between ex-clusion and inex-clusion. In this logic, the out-sider will, little by little become a member of the community; but at the same time, if a symbolic space is established in communica-tion, the guest will always be a stranger within the group (Binet-Montandon, 2011). Boudou reinforces this idea that hospitality ceases when the guest is integrated when, the author argues, it helps to solve:

[…] the dilemma of an encounter that cannot lead to integration (a marriage would be necessary, for example), granting the foreigner a status of too much importance to be temporary. [...] the community hierarchizes this rela-tionship and legitimates through hospi-tality. (Boudou, 2017, p. 111)

Obviously, in a commercial establish-ment that does not offer lodging the time to leave is another; the idea is that after recep-tion and having enjoyed the service or prod-uct is time to leave.

Finally, as in every scene, we have the actors. In this case, these are the host and guest roles that resort to rites, through cus-toms and traditions, to govern the relation-ship in a positive (hospitality) or negative (hostility) way.

2.1 The roles in the scene of hospitality

(6)

can be reversed in different situations, or if the host receives another guest (a new col-league, a supplier, an artist, etc.), the option in this context is to consider the second as the visitor; a customer from the commercial point of view, an attendee from the institu-tion perspective.

Both participants in this scene have their interests in this relationship, whether relevant or not to hospitality (Lashley, 2004; Telfer, 2004), since there are mutual obliga-tions and reciprocity dictated by unwritten rules (Pitt-Rivers, 2012; Lashley, 2004). These rules are followed in traditions coined by the culture of each people or region, as Mauss’s (2003) cycle of gift-exchange: one gives and the other receives. The reasons, as Telfer (2004) points out, should be based on gener-osity to have a real intention of hospitality, the author describe these hospitable quali-ties in the host as ‘hospitableness’. In the case of the visitor, because we are not deal-ing with lodgdeal-ing spaces, Boudou's classifica-tion of outsiders (2017) according to their in-tentions is the most adequate to this kind of actor. As these intentions may be different, we chose the most appropriate ways of this outsider arriving at a commercial establish-ment: the newcomer (to be initiated), the danger (to be eliminated), the guest (to be welcomed), the difference (to be under-stood), and finally the stranger himself (to be familiarized). At the same time, host and guest, for lack of knowledge, are a threat to each other. Boudou (2017) also explains that the outsider, the stranger, can present him-self as a risk to the society in which he ar-rives, since at first sight his intentions are not known. In turn, the host is also a mystery, as he can be either hospitable or hostile.

In this sense, the motives, or interests of each of the actors contribute either to a relationship of hospitality or hostility, and it is then up to the host company to ensure that hospitality is a quality in its employees. In this way the hospitality may be more recurrent in exchange relations with this unknown visitor that arrives.

There are also cases in which the visi-tor of this establishment creates a connec-tion with the space, the company, and its em-ployees, i.e., the host, who shifts from stranger to friend. Telfer (2003, p. 65), speaks of reception as a way of being friendly (thinking of the host's relationship with guests), an invitation to intimacy, an offer of "a share in the host's private life." This feel-ing of befeel-ing at home and makfeel-ing the other feel at home can turn the guest into a host when he is so comfortable that he invites other acquaintances to visit the space, thus becoming a host, even if temporarily. This re-lationship is termed by Lugosi (2008) meta-hospitality, when he studied the behavior of customers of commercial food establish-ments who exchanged roles for a few mo-ments when they felt welcomed in that space.

(7)

pitality functions as a ritual of contradictory elements - the certainty of the encounter and the uncertainty of intentions - that is identifiable, repeatable, and has its actors within a space and over a period. Hospitality, then, acts as a protection for both actors in this encounter, "it is a gesture of compensa-tion, of equalizacompensa-tion, of protection" (Grassi, 2011, p. 45), since the unknown becomes known giving rise to a relationship (and in a more positive way, as expected) after these rites of passage: from the street to the threshold and from the threshold to the inte-rior, "the threshold marks a border, a pas-sage, and its transposition implies tacitly, for the guest, acceptance of the rules of the other" (Montandon, 2011, p. 32).

3 THE BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID AND SESC FANS

The guests, in this context, are fans of Sesc. Despite knowing the host well (the in-stitution) they are still unknown to the com-pany. However, they interact mediated by social media and there is a positive relation-ship between belonging to that community and well-being (Chadborn, Edwards, & Rey-sen, 2017; ReyRey-sen, Plante, & Chadborn, 2017). These fan communities have a com-mon interest (Chadborn et al., 2017), and in this case it is the cultural and sports center program. And who is this fan who enjoys free leisure activities?

"More than 4 billion people live at the BOP [Bottom of the Pyramid] on less than US$ 2 per day" (Prahalad, 2017, p. 48). The assumption is that Sesc's target audience – workers in commerce, services, and tourism

- would fit into this concept. Prahalad exam-ines the economic pyramid that illustrates the world's income-generating capacity and points to this large untapped market as an opportunity that represented US$ 5 trillion in purchasing power in 2005.

In this context, it is important to know this customer through partnerships between small and large companies and the third sec-tor. In doing so, they become relevant to the local community, since they can produce and sell with quality. In this way, Prahalad under-stands that it is possible to make a profit and to eradicate poverty in the world, but, for ex-ample, in the case of Brazil, as mentioned by Karnani (2016), this poverty line would not mean the same, since Brazilians would be poor with income less than US$ 3,927 a year. This would include classes C, D, and E and would make the base of the pyramid overes-timated.

Even so, for this group, autonomy positively affects life satisfaction (Martin & Paul Hill, 2012), hence the alignment with the institution's policy of promoting personal autonomy and interaction, valuing people (Sesc São Paulo, 2017).

4 CULTURAL CENTERS – SESC IN SÃO PAULO

Cultural centers are spaces to keep culture alive (Coelho, 1986, apud Silva, 2013), a collective construction of human interactions and therefore, a dynamic entity.

This is the context wherein Sesc is in-serted in the state of São Paulo.

(8)

sectors (Sesc São Paulo, 2017), the institu-tion has introduced innovative models of cul-ture activities and non-formal education. From high culture to popular culture, from social tourism to environmental education, from health programs to programs aimed at different age groups, and from sports to lei-sure, the program of activities and services offered aims to serve all audiences, contrib-uting to the creation of memorable and meaningful experiences. With 41 cultural and sports units (until December 2017 and still expanding) in the state of São Paulo, it develops actions of informal and permanent education "in order to value people by en-couraging autonomy, contact and interaction with diverse expressions and ways of think-ing, actthink-ing, and feeling” (Sesc São Paulo, 2017), the institution also has pioneering programs, such as Mesa Brasil, which collects food donations from companies and takes them to welfare organizations duly assisted by the Sesc nutrition team. The activities are complemented with online actions of the SescSP Portal, SescTV programs, products of the Sesc brand and Sesc Editions, as well as of the magazine E and the periodicals Mais 60 (Over 60) and Cadernos de Cidadania (Cit-izenship Booklets), which disseminate and record the action of Sesc beyond the physical facilities of the units.

At the beginning of its activities, the institution only served workers in commerce and services, however, over time, the service extended to the entire community, without leaving aside its target audience, now en-compassing also workers in the tourism sec-tor. In 2013, the institution turns its attention to the so-called workers in commerce,

ser-vices, and tourism, limiting the access to cer-tain spaces and activities to other customers, in order to ensure the service to its target au-dience.

5 METHODOLOGY

The exploratory quantitative survey was conducted among three groups on Face-book, selected by number of members and, mainly, by the motto: Sesc fans. The research instrument was built in Google Forms and consisted of 17 questions. It was applied from November 26 to December 4, 2017 in that social networking service. The objective was to understand the socioeconomic profile and the experience Sesc centers users that are members of fan groups on Facebook.

This statistical and descriptive survey was composed of 17 questions of which 14 closed-ended multiple choice (more than one answer) and 3 open-ended questions. The first question (In which of Sesc fan groups do you participate?) was a screening question since the idea was to focus only on members of those groups. Thus, among Sesc fans groups on Facebook with the largest number of participants, four were pre-se-lected:

1) Aficionados pelo SESC-SP [SESC-SP fans] – 3,947 members (Nov. 16, 2017)

Administrators (not workers): Valdeci and Márcio

2) SESC – Troca de Ingressos [Exchange of Tickets] – 2,037 members (Nov. 16, 2017) Administrators (not workers): Tadeu, Ta-ciana, and Rodrigo

(9)

Administrator (former worker): Vander-lei

4) "Das Antigas" Sesc [“Old times”] – 505 members (Nov. 16, 2017)

Administrators (workers): Umberto, Ma-ria, and Vanessa

To obtain a less biased result, the group "Das Antigas" [“Old times”] Sesc was

discarded because the administrators are Sesc employees, therefore, they could inter-fere with postings and moderation. It was also the group with the fewest members, which facilitated exclusion from research.

The three groups selected for the sur-vey were: Aficionados pelo SESC-SP [SESC-SP fans], SESC-Troca de Ingressos [SESC – Ex-change of Tickets], and SESC. All of them post events schedules, in addition to more spe-cific postings, like offers for purchase and sale of tickets (Tricolor, Ferreira, & Oliba, [s.d.]).

The questionnaire was divided into three sections: the first, screened out any re-spondent who did not participate in any of

the selected groups; the second section, so-cioeconomic profile; and the third, which sought to better understand attendance and participation in the programming of Sesc centers in the state of São Paulo; even if groups members are from other states (Gomes, [s.d.]).

The link was posted in these groups on November 26, 2017 and the return was immediate, totaling, for the total period, 243 responses. Of these, 224 were validated, i.e., participations of actual members of the group.

The results show a sample of this uni-verse of Sesc fan groups in São Paulo, accord-ing to the analysis that follows.

6 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

The first question screened out those not members of the selected groups.

Chart 1 – Question 1 – Participation in groups

120

27 34

43 19

1 - In which of Sesc fan groups do you participate?

(243 answers)

Aficionados pelo SESC-SP Sesc - Troca de Ingresso SESC

I participate in more than one of these groups

(10)

Of the valid responses (224 out of 243), the majority (49.4%) were from the largest group, which maybe justifies the greater participation. After all, the adminis-trator Márcio Nunes Ribeiro makes clear that the group's goal is providing knowledge, en-courage the meeting, friendship, sharing, and generosity among Sesc-SP fans (Ribeiro & Silva, [s.d.]). It is also noted that this is the most participative and organized group, sharing relevant information for all.

Nineteen people responded to the survey without attending any group, most likely because they were tagged in the com-ments by group members, as posts are not closed to outside audiences.

The second section included eight questions aimed at the socioeconomic pro-file of the respondents, one of which is only for those who have full credentials (Sesc en-rollment) to find out if they are credential holders or dependents.

Chart 2 – Question 2 – Full credential

The majority, 151 people, answered positively, showing that the groups are in general formed by workers in commerce, services, and tourism enrolled in Sesc. Of that total, 122 were credential holders.

The question about age presented the options that included the adolescent (less than 18 years); the young adult (18 to 29 years old); the adult aged 30 to 59 years divided into two age groups; and the elderly, over 60 years old.

151 73

2 - Do you have full credential (commercial worker with Sesc

enrollment)?

(224 answers)

(11)

Chart 3 – Question 3 – Age

The result shows that there are al-most no adolescents in the group (only 1), since in theory the entry into the social net-work studied here should be only for people over 18 years. Another low result was for the age group above 60 years old, with only 17 responses to the survey. The predominant age is, then, adults, mostly between 30 and

45 years.

For the next question, about gender, it was decided to include more options than is usual in surveys, to know the real profile of the fans and considering that the audience of Sesc is well diversified (as already shown in Chart 3, about age).

Chart 4 – Question 4 - Gender

Source: Search data

Respondents could choose from six options, which included the cisgender and transgender male, cisgender and transgender female, nonbinary, and other not listed. Most respondents identified themselves as cisgender females (two

thirds), and only five people answered that they did not identify with any of the listed genders (2.2%).

With regards to education, the results showed that most respondents surveyed have completed high levels of education.

1

47

104 55

17

3 - How old are you?

(224 answers)

Less than 18 18-29 30-45 45-59 Over 60

173 46

0 0

0

5

4 - What gender do you consider yourself?

(224 answers)

Cisgender male Cisgender female Transgender male Transgender female Nonbinary

(12)

Chart 5 – Question 5 – Education

Only 4 respondents have not com-pleted either elementary or high school, and 109 had a graduate degree, accounting for al-most half of the sample. This universe may not be the same as the credential holders and visitors of the units of this cultural cen-ter, however, since Facebook groups share information on shows and other cultural

events, it is noticed that education is a reper-toire factor for those interested in Sesc pro-grams.

Another question that indicates a dif-ferentiated public in this sample is the sixth, on whether the respondent is the provider of the family.

Chart 6 – Question 6 – Provider of the family

The answer of 97, against 127, of non-providers may suggest that many respond-ents are dependent family members, since they are mostly young people (up to 45 years old, 152 out of 224).

The family income is the question that would most represent here the target audience of SESC, the one corresponding to Prahalad’s ‘bottom ofthe pyramid’ concept. Survey question seven addressed the house-hold’s income of the sample.

1 3

24

109 63

5 - What is your level of education?

(224 answers)

Elementary school completed High school uncompleted High school completed Higher education uncompleted Higher education completed Post-Graduate degree completed

97

127

6 - Are you the main provider of your family?

(224 answers)

(13)

Chart 7 – Question 7 – Family income

Almost 80% of the respondents’ households earn between R$ 1,874 and 4,685 or more, adding up the income of the whole family. In Brazil, considering Critério Brasil (Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa, 2016), the sample would be pre-dominantly considered in socioeconomic

classes C and B, i.e., with high purchasing power.

The last chart presents the answers to the question about the number of family members.

Chart 8 – Question 8 – Family size

Almost half of respondents’ families have up to two people, a reflection of small families in Brazil today, mostly couples with few children (the option “more than 3” had 62 answers).

From the socioeconomic results ob-tained stands out that the sample subjects belong to a high social class, dependent on the family, and young adult. Given that the family has few members and the level of

ed-7 41

99 77

7 - What is your household income?

(224 answers)

Less than a minimum salary (up to R$ 937)

From one to two minimum salaries (from R$ 937 to R$ 1,874)

From 2 to 5 minimum salaries (from R$ 1,874 to R$ 4,685)

More than 5 minimum salaries (more than R$ 4,685)

35

69

58 62

8 - How many people are in your family?

(224 answers)

1 2 3

(14)

ucation is high, perhaps most of the respond-ents are studrespond-ents who live alone and are sup-ported by the family living in another city. Ac-cording to the hypothesis raised in this study, that this online universe represents the phys-ical universe of the target audience of Sesc institution in São Paulo, the poor and low-

and middle-income worker at Prahalad’s bot-tom of the pyramid, it can be stated that the hypothesis does not hold and therefore can be rejected.

The third and last section, about the experience in Sesc units, begins with a ques-tion about the frequency of visit.

Chart 9 – Question 9 – Frequency of visit

The sample regularly visits the units, since the majority (140) goes at least once a week to a unit of Sesc. Only 13 (5.8%) people answered that they rarely go to Sesc.

Question 10 sought to know if there is participation of this public and its depend-ents in physical-sports activities (water aero-bics, aquatic exercise, physical activities, Sesc

sports program, multifunctional exercise, and running, walking and bicycle clubs) and non-formal education of Sesc (Curumim, for children from 7 to 12 years old, and Ju-ventudes, for adolescents from 13 to 29 years old).

14

70

66 74

9 - How many times do you visit a Sesc unit?

(224 answers)

I rarely go to Sesc Once a month Once a week

(15)

Chart 10 – Question 10 – Enrollment in permanent activities

Most of the respondents do not par-ticipate in any permanent activity, which may mean that these fans prefer to enjoy the cul-tural program of the Sesc units in São Paulo. The last six questions concern the units that participants attend the most, like and dislike, and why. Respondents could choose one or more reasons from five cate-gories: environment (cleaning, architecture,

equipment, spaces), service (employees and contractors), program (activities offered), so-cial interaction with other visitors, and acces-sibility (location, universal accesacces-sibility, pub-lic transportation service, proximity to home or work). The answers are summarized in Ta-bles 1 to 3, below.

Table 1 – Question 11 – Most attended units and reasons

Most attended units Reasons

Pompeia (52) Program (64%)

Belenzinho (44) Accessibility (54.7%)

Pinheiros (41) Environment (34%)

Vila Mariana (19) Service (15.7%)

Others (67) Sociability (11.7%) Source: Search data

185 5

10 8 3

19 7 0 0

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

No Yes, Aquatic exercise Yes, Water aerobics Yes, Clubs (running, walking and bike) Yes, Sesc Sport Programs Yes, Multifunctional Exercise Yes, Corporal Practices Yes, Curumim Yes, Juventudes

10 - Are you, or a dependent, enrolled in any permanent

activity in any of Sesc units?

(16)

Table 2 – Question 12 – Preferred units and reasons

Preferred units Reasons

Belenzinho (66) Program (61%)

Pinheiros (51) Environment (56.5%)

Pompeia (50) Accessibility (34.5%)

Bertioga (14) Service (27.8%)

Others (42) Sociability (16.1%) Source: Search data

Table 3 – Question 13 – Less preferred units and reasons

Less preferred units Reasons

Carmo (35) Accessibility (52%)

Bom Retiro (18) Environment (26%)

Consolação (13) Program (23.3%)

Itaquera (11) Service (13%)

Other or None (146) Sociability (9.4%) Source: Search data

Regarding the experience of the re-spondents in the units of the Sesc, it can be noticed that the strongest reasons given for visiting or not a unit are the program, envi-ronment, and accessibility, while the social interactions and service do not have as much influence in their choices.

7 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

It can be said that it was possible to present a brief overview of the profile of the Sesc fan, member of groups in the social net-work Facebook selected by the researchers, who perceive the relationships of hospitality and reception of the employees, here repre-senting the host.

The hypothesis presented at the be-ginning of this paper is that the online fan population would represent the target audi-ence attending the Sesc institution in São Paulo: workers in commerce, services, and

tourism, mostly low- and middle-income people, represented by the bottom of the pyramid (Prahalad, 2017), was no supported by the results of the socioeconomic study. Respondents represented a high-income so-cial class, dependent on the family, and young adult.

The section of the questionnaire on the experience in Sesc units also opened new avenues of research that could be carried out focusing on the institution-customer rela-tionship through the employee's hospitality relationship with the attending public.

(17)

they interact with the employees who serve them and finally, say goodbye.

The gift, the exchange, the bond, and reciprocity are part of hospitality and its ritu-als (Boudou, 2012; Grassi, 2011; Montandon, 2011). Each encounter studied is unique since we are dealing with people and their unknown intentions. In the end, the circula-tion of the gift creates a new cycle and the future encounters allow for the hospitality to always happen.

REFERENCES

Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. (2016). Critério Brasil 2015 e atualização da distribuição de classes para 2016. Critério de classificação econômica Brasil. Available in: <http://www.abep.org/criterio-brasil>.

Benveniste, É. (1995). O vocabulário das instituições indo-europeias. Campinas-SP: Editora da UNICAMP.

Binet-Montandon, C. (2011). Acolhida - uma construção do vínculo social. In A. Montandon (Org.), O livro da hospitalidade. São Paulo: Editora Senac.

Boudou, B. (2012). Éléments Pour Une

Anthropologie Politique De L’Hospitalité. Revue

du MAUSS, 40(2), 267.

https://doi.org/10.3917/rdm.040.0267

Boudou, B. (2017). Elementos para uma antropologia política da hospitalidade. In L. B. Brusadin (Org.), Hospitalidade e Dádiva: a alma dos lugares e a cultura do acolhimento. Curitiba-PR: Editora Prismas.

Camargo, L. O. de L. (2004). Hospitalidade. São Paulo: Editora Aleph.

Chadborn, D., Edwards, P., & Reysen, S. (2017). Displaying Fan Identity to Make Friends.

Intensities: The Journal of Cult Media, (9), 87–97.

Available in:

<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen _Reysen/publication/316856709_Displaying_fan _identity_to_make_friends/links/59145fa14585 152e199dc6d2/Displaying-fan-identity-to-make-friends.pdf

Gomes, V. ([s.d.]). SESC. Available in: <https://www.facebook.com/groups/49843241 0183565/?ref=br_rs>. Accessed in: 21 dez. 2017. Gotman, A. (2009). O comércio da hospitalidade é possivel? Revista Hospitalidade, 6 (2), 03–27. Grassi, M.-C. (2011). Transpor a soleira. In A. Montandon (Org.), O livro da hospitalidade. São Paulo: Editora Senac.

Karnani, A. (2016). Confusão na Base da Pirâmide no Brasil, 86–94.

Lashley, C. (2004). Para um entendimento teórico. In Em busca da hospitalidade: perspectivas para um mundo globalizado (1o_ed,

p. 1–24). Barueri-SP: Manole.

Lugosi, P. (2008). Hospitality spaces, hospitable moments: consumer encounters and affective experiences in commercial settings. Journal of Foodservice, 19(2), 139–149.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4506.2008.00092.x

Martin, K. D., & Paul Hill, R. (2012). Life Satisfaction, Self-Determination, and Consumption Adequacy at the Bottom of the Pyramid. Journal of Consumer Research, 38(6), 1155–1168. https://doi.org/10.1086/661528 Mauss, M. (2003). Ensaio sobre a Dádiva. In M. Mauss (Org.), Sociologia e Antropologia. São Paulo: Cosac Naif.

(18)

Porto Alegre: Bookman.

Reysen, S., Plante, C., & Chadborn, D. (2017). Better Together: Social Connections Mediate the Relationship Between Fandom and Well-Being.

AASCIT Journal of Health, 4(6), 68–73. Available in:

<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen _Reysen/publication/321671742_Better_Togeth er_Social_Connections_Mediate_the_Relationsh

ip_Between_Fandom_and_Well-Being/links/5a2a78e9aca2728e05db4310/Better -Together-Social-Connections-Mediate-the-Relationship->.

Ribeiro, M. N., & Silva, V. F. da. ([s.d.]). Aficionados pelo SESC-SP. Available in: <https://www.facebook.com/groups/24484559 2269792/?ref=br_rs>. Acessed in: 21 dez. 2017. Sesc São Paulo. (2017). Quem Somos. Available in: <https://www.sescsp.org.br/pt/sobre-o-sesc/quem-somos/>. Acessed in: 28 maio 2017. Silva, M. F. da. (2013). CENTROS CULTURAIS: ANÁLISE DA PRODUÇÃO BIBLIOGRÁFICA.

Available in:

<http://periodicos.anhembi.br/arquivos/trabalh os001/420255.pdf>.

Telfer, E. (2004). A filosofia da hospitabilidade. In A. Morrison & C. Lashley (Orgs.), Em busca da hospitalidade: perspectivas para um mundo globalizado (1o_{ed). Barueri-SP: Manole.}

Tricolor, T., Ferreira, T., & Oliba, R. ([s.d.]). SESC - Troca de Ingressos. Available in: https://www.facebook.com/groups/537383469 687983/?ref=br_rs>. Acessed in: 21 dez. 2017.

APPENDIX

Link to the questionnaire

___________ Note:

This research was funded by the Graduate Sup-port Program for Private Universities - PROSUP

(CAPES) and the Universidade Anhembi Morum-bi.

___________

Informations on the authors

Luiz Octávio de Lima Camargo

PhD in Education Sciences - University René Des-cartes (Paris V).Faculty in the Graduate Program in Hospitality at the Universidade Anhembi Morumbi(UAM) and invited professor in the Graduate Program in Tourism at the Univer-sidade de São Paulo (USP).

E-mail: octacam@uol.com.br

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4653-1395 Airton José Cavenaghi

PhD in Social History – Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculty in the Graduate Program in Hospi-tality at the Universidade Anhembi Morumbi(UAM). Research in the field of Applied Social Sciences, focusing on interpretation of di-mensions resulting from the modern perceptions of hospitality.

E-mail: acavenaghi@gmail.com

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1084-8158 Danilo Cava Pereira

MSc student in the Graduate Program in Hospi-tality at the Universidade Anhembi Morumbi(UAM). He develops researches in the areas of Hospitality and Welcoming, focusing on services provided in Cultural Centers as a com-petitive advantage.

E-mail: danilocava@hotmail.com

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5754-8486 Elizabeth Kyoko Wada

(19)

Brazil Chapter (Meeting Professionals Interna-tional). She is Vice Chairman of the Board of Bourbon Hotels & Resorts.

E-mail: elwada@anhembi.br